Warning: Slight Suicidal Thoughts by the Main Character/s
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Middle Realm, Xing Hui Continent — Ruins of the Shang Mansion: Four Days After The Incident
The night hung heavy,clouds gathering as if warning of a rain. In that quiet gloomy night, Yizhou slipped into another dream.
In his dream, he was back in the courtyard of He Huan Sect.
Not far away stood Sui Sui, dressed in the sect's signature pink robes, his figure framed by the pale glow of moonlight. A few leaves drifted down behind him, while his clothes swayed gently in a breeze Yizhou couldn't feel.
In that scene, Sui Sui's gaze met his. He smiled, then his lips moved silently, the words lost to the distance.
It was… beautiful. So beautiful it made Yizhou's chest thump loudly.
The moment Yizhou saw Sui Sui, a rush of happiness bloomed in his chest. He took a step forward, eager to close the distance. But with each step, the ground between them stretched farther, rippling like the surface of a disturbed lake.
Yizhou ran—he ran until his lungs burned—but no matter how fast he moved, he could never reach Sui Sui.
Then, without warning, the beauty shattered.
The place they once called home—the courtyard, the trees, the very person who made it a home was suddenly devoured by flames. The fire crept and roared, swallowing everything piece by piece.
Suddenly, memories crashed into him.
He knew this dream. He had seen it before—once, twice, ten times… a hundred… a thousand. Always returning to that same beautiful place, only to watch it burn. Always forced to see his Gege die, over and over again.
It was a nightmare he could never wake from.
No.
No.
NO.
"Gege!"
PIT PAT
Yizhou woke to the faint touch of rain on his face. He couldn't tell if he had truly woken… or if he was still trapped in the nightmare.
At first, it was just a soft patter against his skin. Then, in the next heartbeat, it swelled into a relentless downpour. Cold water struck him sharply, dragging him out of the fog of unconsciousness.
He lay sprawled on the ground, the earth beneath him soaked and uneven. For a while, he didn't move—his limbs felt too heavy, as if the weight of the world had settled into his bones.
Then, his fingers twitched. Slowly, he turned his gaze to his hands.
Human hands.
The claws were gone, leaving only pale skin slick with rain.
When he tried to flex his fingers, pain shot through him—it was sharp and searing. His breath hitched, coming in ragged bursts. Every nerve felt as if it were on fire, each cell dying and regenerating within the same heartbeat… over and over again.
Then, as if struck by a sudden thought, he curled his fingers into the mud and tried to push himself up. The effort ripped a fresh wave of heat through his body, but he gritted his teeth and forced his knees beneath him.
Sui Sui.
The name slammed into his mind like a prayer, sharp and desperate. He whipped his head toward the spot where he remembered laying the other down.
The rain was coming harder now, pelting the ground and splashing across His and Sui Sui's motionless body.
A hollow panic surged through Yizhou's chest.
Ignoring the screaming protest of his body, he lurched forward—half crawling, half dragging himself across the wet ground—until he reached Sui Sui's side.
He dropped to his knees, teeth clenched so hard his jaw ached. His hands trembled as he bent over, curling protectively around Sui Sui's still form, blocking the downpour with his own body. Rainwater streamed down his face, dripping from his chin onto the pale skin beneath him.
With shaking fingers, he fumbled at the ties of his outer robe, yanking it off in one clumsy motion and draping it over that unmoving figure.
No. No. No.
Can't let Gege go cold.
His breath came in uneven bursts, his chest heaving as if the very act of breathing hurt. If anyone saw him now, they'd think he was mad—clutching and covering a lifeless body as though keeping the rain off could somehow keep his Gege alive.
But Yizhou didn't care. This was the only part of his Gege he had left. He would protect it—even if it was the last thing he did.
His mind was too messy to think straight. If he'd been in his right mind, he would have noticed something amiss, like the fact that: Phoenix Fire was a divine flame. Anyone burned by it would leave nothing behind. Yet… Sui Sui's body was still here.
Unfortunately, after everything he'd been through these past few days, there was no room left for rational thought.
He lowered himself, arms wrapping tightly around the cold body, pulling Sui Sui into his embrace. The rain soaked through his clothes, each drop seeping into his skin, but he pressed closer as if he could push his own warmth into the other. His cheek rested against Sui Sui's damp hair, his breath unsteady.
He stayed like that for a long time, unmoving—his mind empty, his heart pounding in his ears.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
At this moment, Yizhou thought that dying might be the best thing that could happen to him.
So, as he lay there, he prayed—prayed hard to Heaven—begging for it to take him.
If he died now, maybe… maybe he could follow Sui Sui into the next life.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
He stayed still, straining to listen through the roar of the rain, waiting—almost begging—for the beating of his heart to stop.
But then… in the middle of the rhythm, something felt different.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
He didn't know if he was imagining it—some cruel trick of his mind.
But then, in the very next second, he heard it again.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
His eyes widened. That wasn't just his heartbeat.
There were two.
For a moment, he froze, afraid to even breathe, as if moving would shatter the fragile rhythm. Then, like a drowning man seizing a lifeline, Yizhou pushed himself up, pressing his head against Sui Sui's.
This time, it roared in his ears—steady and real.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
The sound hit him like salvation.
Yizhou's whole body went rigid, then the tension crumbled all at once. Relief crashed over him so hard his knees nearly gave out. His vision blurred as hot tears spilled down his cheeks, mixing with the rain.
He didn't know what to do, didn't know who to thank. All he could do was clutch Sui Sui tighter, burying his face against him as sobs tore from his throat. Every drop of grief, fear, and desperation he'd been holding back poured out in that moment.
He cried until his chest ached, until his strength was gone.
And then, still holding Sui Sui, Yizhou let the darkness take him once more.